


Unknown Emotions

by freakanature06



Series: A3! Rarepair Week 2020 [1]
Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: A3! Rarepair Week, Emotions, Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, also Taichi is there for a hot minute, brief mention of Yuki, they're hard yo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freakanature06/pseuds/freakanature06
Summary: It was so frustrating that what Muku wanted came so easily to Tenma. He would see the older boy on TV or practicing his lines for their upcoming play and a surge of emotion would well up from within him. For a long time, he mistook the feelings that Tenma sparked in him as nothing more than admiration - Tenma was what Muku aimed for, so of course he would idolize him too.Muku coming to terms with the feelings he has for Tenma.
Relationships: Sakisaka Muku/Sumeragi Tenma
Series: A3! Rarepair Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829470
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	Unknown Emotions

**Author's Note:**

> First A3! fic! And it's for Rarepair Week, wooo!
> 
> Prompt today is Adoration/Jealousy. So I figured why not both~

Anyone who knew Tenma would easily agree that he  _ reeked _ of Prince Charming material. It wasn't that he was necessarily like a prince himself, but more than his bearing, stature, and ability to compose himself in a role lent itself to this feeling of him being "perfect". Sure, Yuki might give him a hard time, but nobody could deny that Tenma became something amazing - something unreal - on screen.  
  
Anyone who knew Muku could not ignore the fact that he desperately wished to one day be a Prince Charming himself. He idolized the heroes in romance manga vehemently and was eager to jump at any chance that might bring him closer to his eventual goal. No matter how long it took, he was determined to fulfill his dream.  
  
Which was why it was so frustrating that what Muku wanted came so easily to Tenma. He would see the older boy on TV or practicing his lines for their upcoming play and a surge of emotion would well up from within him. For a long time, he mistook the feelings that Tenma sparked in him as nothing more than admiration - Tenma was what Muku aimed for, so of course he would idolize him too.  
  
It was an innocuous night - a night where much of Mankai Company was gathered around the television, some playing games, others talking, and a few of them actually watching what was on - that Muku had his mind thrown into disarray.   
  
"Ugh, don't you just hate how  _ good _ he is at that? Look how charming he is, without even trying!"   
  
The comment, accompanied by a whine, came from Taichi as he gestured to Tenma on the screen. He was always ready to dole out compliments and air his irritations, sometimes in the same breath. It was a perfectly innocent comment, one that they had all thought or said at some point or another. But it struck Muku in that moment what it was he had been feeling for so long around Tenma.  
  
He was jealous. Muku had never had a jealous bone in his body, but the fact that someone in his own Troupe could manage what he could not made him jealous. It was a strange thing to recognize the emotion. It simultaneously brought a sense of calm to Muku's mind - "Oh, I see! That explains why I felt so strange." - while also overwhelming him with dread and guilt - "How could I think that way about my friend?!"  
  
Needless to say, it took several attempts of calling Muku's name to pull him out of his head and he awkwardly apologized before hiding himself in his room for the rest of the night. He even pretended to be asleep when Kazunari tried to check on him.  
  
In the following weeks, Muku could feel that nasty emotion jealousy tearing at him every time he was around Tenma. It pushed him to do and say things he normally wouldn't. He made sassy comments behind the older boy's back and purposely ad libbed his parts significantly more than normal only during scenes with Tenma. It wasn't that he wanted to be mean, he just couldn't stop himself from reacting whenever he saw Tenma and felt that gut-wrenching tug behind his naval. It didn't help that every time Tenma seemed to catch on to Muku's foul mood, he would look hurt, increasing the guilt that Muku felt tenfold.  
  
It only took a month before everything came to a head as Tenma cornered Muku before he could leave the practice room, trapping the two of them alone.  
  
"I'm done with this! What's wrong with you lately?!"   
  
The words lashed like a whip against Muku's frayed nerves and he winced, taking a step back from the other boy. "I... I don't know what you're talking about..."  
  
Not to be deterred, Tenma advanced on him, crowding the smaller boy against a wall, his face twisted in anger, yes, but also something else that Muku could not find a name for.   
  
"Don't give me that! You've been acting like... like..." He gestured wildly, trying to pick the words out of thin air. "Like a real jerk! And I don't think I've done anything to you! So what are you so mad about?! I can't  _ fix _ it if you don't tell me!"  
  
Muku placed his palms firmly on the wall behind his back, hoping to be able to push away as soon as a path opened. But the bubbling feeling inside of him ripped out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop it.  
  
"Yeah, because you can fix how worthless and pathetic and humiliating I am! You don't have to pay any mind to a worm like me, grovelling in the mud while you step all over my dreams!"  
  
Taken aback, Tenma's face took on a vacant expression, like he was trying to put together what Muku had said. Or maybe what it might mean. Muku took his chance, pushing away from the wall and attempting to make a break for it. But Tenma grabbed his arm, hauling him back into the trap between him and the wall.  
  
"What are you even  _ talking _ about?! I'm not trampling on anything! And... and don't call yourself worthless, would you?!" The last words seemed to squeak out, as if Tenma had to force himself to say them. His face colored red and so did Muku's vision.  
  
"You are!! You're so perfect and charming and handsome! You're a prince without even trying! And I'm nothing compared to you and I don't even know why you think I'm worthy enough to be around you!!"  
  
This time, Muku's words caught them both off guard and the smaller boy had to take a few moments to breath heavily, tears blurring his vision as doubt bloomed in his chest. There was something sitting heavy behind the jealousy fueling him right now, but he couldn't see it past the rage, the embarrassment, and the fear. All he  _ could _ see was Tenma's wide-eyed face staring down at him, cheeks red and mouth agape.  
  
"You... Muku, you know I want... I'll help you any way I can! You don't... you don't understand how much you-" He cut himself off abruptly, eyes lowering to the ground, but his body remained firmly trapping Muku in place. "L-Look, I believe in you, okay? So you don't have to be mad at me. I didn't... I don't mean to step on your dreams."  
  
Not really knowing why he did it, just knowing that he needed to hold onto some part of Tenma for fear of pushing him away, Muku grabbed the front of the older boy's shirt with both hands, fisting the fabric tightly and lowering his head, the tears beginning to truly fall.  
  
"No... No, you're so much better than me and I'm so mad that I can't be like you! I keep trying so, so hard, but I'm still not even good enough to be around you! A-and I'm still jealous, even though I'm rotten and horrible and-"  
  
A hand over his mouth startled Muku into silence and he raised widened eyes to stare up at Tenma. The other boy had a look of mild horror on his face, but there was something else there and it tugged at Muku's gut - in a different way from the jealousy - though he couldn't put a name to it.  
  
"You  _ know _ I don't think that." Tenma's voice was quiet and it shook with emotion. Muku couldn't stop staring at him, how expressive he was even when he wasn't putting on a show. How he seemed to just take up the whole room with his presence. "I know I was a jerk to start with, but I..."   
  
Tenma lowered his hand from Muku's mouth, instead bringing the hand to cup the other boy's cheek. A soft gasp escaped the pink-haired boy at the feeling, that feeling tugging in his gut again.  
  
"I really admire you, Muku. Your dedication, your hard-working attitude, your upbeat attitude." There was a wry smile on Tenma's face now as he stroked his thumb over Muku's cheek. "You're everything I'm not. Things I wish I could be. Makes me pretty jealous too, y'know?"  
  
There was a beat where neither of them seemed to breathe. The pieces clicked into place in Muku's head just a second before Tenma's lips pressed to his. The jealousy, the adoration, they were two sides of the same coin. A coin of unrequited affection. A coin that was instantly shattered by soft lips, a gentle hand, and the taste of a boy he cared about so deeply that it hurt.  
  
And he knew that he wasn't alone.


End file.
